‘Durham Palestine Educational Trust’

Qwaider Planet

PALESTINE REMEMBERED

When I started this blog, my mind was buzzing with topics… as can be vouched for by the list I wrote to keep me on my toes. I havent kept this up, I have felt demotivated… I used to be so passionate about the two Ps in my life: Palestine and Physics, in that order, Physics is totally recovering though!

This year, in fact since this summer, my drive for Palestine has been diminishing. It has never been easy or good in Palestine, the news has always been rather harrowing… but project ‘Summer Rains’ took the biscuit… I would read of the events, too scared even to watch the news… then I couldnt even do that. Channel 4s John Snow interviewed Israel’s Deputy Ambassador Zvi Ravner, questioned him about bombing Gaza’s power station (built using funds from the EU no less) and was told it was necessary to make sure that Gilad Shalits capturers did not move him at night. Of all the lame excuses this took the prize, and the world looked on, pausing only to withdraw their journalists from the region. Gazans are still under seige, they even decided to fight each other, for a change, they are still with only intermittent electricity, and Israel even admitted (willingly) to the use of white phosphorous.

Then Lebanon happened that summer… and no one could miss it. It was all over the news, europeans were affected, it was an international crisis. Yet people still looked on, and condemned Hizbullah, while pacifying Israel. Even Israelis took to the streets of england to protest the actions of their government, and were told they were a shame to the state, and blinded by… er, by the truth? It ended, not long after it started, we can be grateful for that at least, people returned to their homes or what remained of them… and unlike Gaza had the potential to rebuild and move on. Things are going downhill again though, as this blogger eloquently puts it.

Of course this is just the tip of the iceberg, dig deeper, and we remember that the Palestinian government is being boycotted, with the EU and USA witholding their aid, and Israel witholding the taxes rightfuly the Palestinians. Not only that, neighbours and friends of the people feared to help, all money transfers go through New York… USA can make life very difficult for those that go against her wishes, and not necessarily military action either… these countries feared having their bank accounts frozen. We only have ourselves to blame though… we allowed ourselves to descend into total dependency.

So Iran steps in, giving money to the Palestinian government…. and freaking out the rest of the Arab world. For we all know that Iran has a vested political interest in the middle east.. superb geographical location, saddling the Europe, Africa and Asia. Their people in Iraq fuel the sectarian (evil word!) violence there, in their quest to step into the Arab world. The Palestinians, who face Israel (no less) every day, alone. Whose spirits are intact by a miracle, and who are, to put it simply, battle weary. They were expected to refuse this aid, when money was scarce, and even their produce (Olive oil and cherry tomatoes) rotted in their stores. This, and this alone spurred Saudi into hosting talks to end the violence between Palestinians. I was proud that they were able to agree on this. Then, because some random group felt that the deal (sealed in Mecca between a self proffessed Islamic party and a majority muslim one) was not, ahem, Islamic enough. Of course, ALL Palestinians are Muslim, those that go to the churches, the 10% who claim to be Christian, and the fewer who are Jewish, are just putting on an act. So the madness continues.

Are you, the reader, weary? Do these tales of self-sabotage and apathy tiresome?

This is how I feel… and is why when I read of hope it elates me more than it would usually, Hamas and Fateh said hello to each other, YAY! Leeds and Manchester are twinning with their Palestinian counterparts, SWOON!

Its bad that I should feel like this, this is what breeds apathy, and this is what got me down in the first place! Those in Palestine are real troopers… how they face this in reality and keep going, when even going to school is a mission is inspiring. This should be our starting point… dont give up, dont be disheartened.

You know whenever I read or think about this crisis, I see no way through this! I see no end to this violence as long as zionist continue to influence US. Iran cannot be the bet as it is more interested in getting its own job done, creating a way into arab world.